Ms sect b 20171015 sunday

B1

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

FILIPINO RUNS VIETNAM’S LUXURY CRUISE COMPANY Rommel Juan, the founding president of Binalot

BINALOT FOUNDER A FINALIST IN EY AWARDS

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Paradise Vietnam general manager Edgar Cayanan

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ENS of thousands of foreign tourists visit Vietnam’s deltas, rivers and bays, French colonial landmarks, pagodas and temples, historical sites, quaint restaurants and cafes and bustling markets each day, as the socialist republic in the eastern side of the Indochina Peninsula has emerged with robust manufacturing and tourism industries from decades of war.

Supporting Vietnam’s thriving tourism industry are modern infrastructure and talented people from all over the world. One of them is a 42-year-old Filipino who now runs the most luxurious cruise and hotel company in the stunning Halong Bay, Vietnam’s most recognizable and visited tourist destination.

“Here in Vietnam, they recognize Filipino talents. We have Filipino professionals, teachers and engineers working in Hanoi and other parts of Vietnam,” says Edgar Cayanan, the general manager of Paradise Vietnam, which offers five-star accommodation, dining and cruises around Halong Bay. Paradise Vietnam operates 11 vessels under the Paradise Cruises brand with an average of 31 rooms per vessel, and Paradise Suites Hotel, a boutique luxury hotel.

Paradise Cruises brings five -star accommodation between towering limestone islands surrounded by emerald waters in the middle of the 1,553-square-kilometer Halong Bay, a Unesco world heritage and natural wonder in Quang Ninh province.

Vietnam received a record 10 million foreign guests in 2016, exceeding the six million visitors in the Philippines in the same year. An influx of visitors from China and Asean countries including the Philippines boosted Vietnam tourism, as budget carriers like Cebu Pacific mounted flights to Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south.

Cebu Pacific is increasing flights between Manila and Hanoi to daily services from Dec. 1, 2017 to Jan. 9, 2018 to accommodate the growing tourism traffic. Cayanan says Filipinos also visit and take the cruises at Halong Bay, which has more than 3,000 limestone karsts

Paradise Vietnam general manager Edgar Cayanan (right) and Paradise Elegance II cruise manager Jade Karam

and isles topped by rainforests, outnumbering those than can be found in El Nido and Coron in Palawan.

Cayanan, who grew up in Pampanga and graduated from Angeles University Foundation in 1996, recruited other Filipinos to work for Paradise Cruises. Among them is Jade Karam, the cruise manager of Paradise Elegance II, the latest and most premium vessel of Paradise Cruises. Cayanan and Karam oversaw the development of Paradise Elegance II into a meticulously-designed boat, complete with premium facilities, air-conditioned cabins, private bathrooms, spacious dining and entertainment area and equipped with Internet and cable TV access that are usually found in five-star hotels.

Cayanan and Karam represent the increasing number of Filipinos who work in the hotel and cruise industry around the world. Cayanan worked as a food and beverage supervisor at Dusit Hotel Dubai from December 2000 to August 2002 and as an assistant F&B manager at Palau Royal Resort Nikko Hotel International between April 2005 and March 2010.

In Palau, a manager encouraged him to try

working in Vietnam, which he did in April 2010 when he was recruited as operations manager and later as acting general manager of Bhaya Cruise. In 2012, he transferred to Paradise Cruises as a cruise manager. Seven months later, he became the operations manager who oversaw the expansion of the fleet from just two to seven.

His exceptional skills as a manager caught the attention of the shareholders of Paradise Vietnam, who offered him the top position as general manager. He initially hesitated to accept the job, knowing the big responsibility that came with the position.

In a party in December 2013, the shareholders formally announced Cayanan’s designation as a general manager and Cayanan had no choice but to rise to the occasion. He began serving as general manager in early 2014, making him the longest-serving head of a cruise company in Halong Bay today. He was also given an opportunity to become a shareholder.

Cayanan expects more Filipinos to work in Vietnam, as a group of students from Manila’s Centro Escolar University are now on Turn to B2

IT ALL started a little over twenty years ago. Tired of the usual fastfood offerings consisting of the usual burgers, fries, siopao and siomai, a group of yuppies decided to introduce a Filipino fastfood with a twist.

Instead of using styropor packs and disposables, they offered their native delicacies in biodegradable, eco-friendly and very natural banana leaves. The innovation worked as customers loved the idea of Pinoy rice meals packed in banana leaves. Thus Binalot was born.

Binalot started as a pure food delivery concept and was branded the darling of the delivery industry

by Delivery Magazine in 1998. It then moved into foodcourt kiosks in 2000 and later, due to customer demand, opened its first dine-in restaurant in 2002. Two years later, the first franchise was granted and Binalot never looked back since then.

However, the year 2006 saw the devastation of the catastrophic typhoon Milenyo and Binalot found it difficult to source its banana leaves.

Without losing its spirit, the innovative young brand turned the crisis into an opportunity by setting up its own CSR program called Dahon or Dangal at Hanapbuhay Para sa Nayon.

Binalot adopted a community of banana farmers in Laguna and secured a steady and reliable source of banana leaves and in the process giving them and their family a source of livelihood.

Dahon was recognized because of its novel idea of a sustainable CSR despite being an SME at that.

Recognitions include the once-ina-lifetime UPS Centennial Award, the Intel AIM Corporate Social Responsibility Award and the BID Network CSR Award.

All throughout, Binalot has introduced innovation after innovation, such as the introduction of electric bikes for delivery and the launching of its food van for mobile activities. In 2015, Binalot ventured overseas with the opening of a Binalot outlet in Dubai, UAE to cater to the growing Filipino population there.

This year, entrepreneur Rommel Juan, the founding president of Binalot, is a finalist in this year’s Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2017.

“We are very proud that our simple efforts as a small enterprise are beginning to be recognized. Yet it is also ironic since we are only doing what we love, paying forward to those who have helped us and will continue to help us,” says Juan.

“We consider the nomination a validation of our passion and dedication towards our customers and all our stakeholders. This will only make us strive even harder in the future.”

INVENTORS HOLDING WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION IN ISABELA INVENTORS are going to Isabela province next month to celebrate the National Inventors Week, an annual event organized by the Department of Science and Technology.

Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative chairman Francisco Pagayon said the NIW 2017 celebration will be held in Cauayan City on Nov. 20 to 24.

It marks the first time that DOST will team up with FISPC for the joint celebration of NIW which aims to recognize, showcase and honor the efforts of Filipino inventor-entrepreneurs or ‘inventrepreneurs’.

“This is basically the fruit of our very

successful partnership in vigorously building FISPC-DOST Onestore Hubs.

Although we just started in January, we already have three hubs in Quezon City, Cauayan City and Urdaneta, Pangasinan” Pagayon said.

Other partners in the NIW 2017 celebration are the Cauayan City government led by Mayor Bernard Dy, Isabela State University headed by president Dr. Ricmar Aquino and the DOST Region 2 led by regional director Engineer Sancho Mabborang, who also heads the DOST onestore.ph program.

Aside from the OneStore Hubs, FISPC had also tapped the onestore.ph e-commerce portal set up by the DOST

The Filipino Inventors Society Producers Cooperative, the Department of Science and Technology and Isabela State University sign a memorandum of agreement for the celebration of National Inventors Week 2017 in Cauayan City, Isabela. Shown during the signing ceremony are (seated, from left) Isabela State University president Dr. Ricmar Aquino, DOST Region 2 regional director and onestore.ph project head Engineer Sancho Mabborang and FISPC chairman Francisco ‘Ka Popoy’ Pagayon. Witnessing the even are FISPC officers and members, officials of DOST Region 2 and executives of Air21.

which allowed the FISPC members to sell their products to a global audience via the Internet.

Pagayon thanked Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Pena for encouraging FISPC to tap the onestore.ph e-commerce website and jointly open and operate so-called traditional“brick-and-mortar”OneStore Hub stores to provide inventrepreneurs more avenues in selling their products.

Mabborang said logistics giant Air21 agreed to provide FISPC memberinventrepreneurs and other inventorentrepreneurs all over the country the logistics support they need to bring their products to Cauayan City.

Business

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 business@manilastandard.net

ILONGGOS MOVE TO PROTECT REPUTATION RESIDENTS of Iloilo are launching a campaign to rectify the false image created by the Duterte administration’s war on drugs that branded Iloilo City and the province as the “most shabulized” city and the “bedrock of drugs” in the Visayas.

The recent tirades have tarnished the image of Iloilo, they said.

Despite the generalized description of the province, Ilonggos are moving to change the negative perceptions about the province and the city.

The Iloilo Economic and Development Foundation Inc. launched the “Proud to be Ilonggo” campaign in response to the fear and anxiety created by the statements by President Rodrigo Duterte about Iloilo.

ILED chairperson Narzalina Lim said the “Proud to be Ilonggo” campaign aimed to rectify the misconception that Iloilo city is the “most shabulized” city in the country.

The group said the statements about Iloilo were baseless accusations, if not hearsays or propaganda that were not supported by any evidence nor data.

ILED warned that years of economic growth and development in Iloilo were now in danger and the progress they had built and sustained over the years were in jeopardy.

ILED president Jocelyn JalandoniPerez said there was a need for all Ilonggos to work together and protect the progress they had made. There is a need to make sure that their hard work and its fruits do not go to waste, the group said.

One of the ways the group plans to do is to show to the world that more than the food, places and culture, Iloilo is a prime destination for entrepreneurs, investors and businessmen. It aims to show that Iloilo is a beautiful destination beaming with different opportunities, the group said.

Over the past decade, Iloilo has enjoyed drastic growth because of the billions of investments that came from multi-national corporations which were supported by projects for infrastructure of the government.

FILIPINO...

From B1

a six-month on-the-job training in the country’s biggest luxury cruise company.

The Vietnamese shareholders of Paradise Cruises hold Filipinos in high regard, because of the Filipinos’ skills, perseverance and ability to communicate in English, which is the common language of foreign tourists. Cayanan also recruited talented singers and musicians from Davao City.

“Our Vietnamese owners always think that Filipinos are very good in English and are hardworking, so they asked me to hire others who can help me in the operation of the company,” says Cayanan who now oversees 11 vessels and two hotels.

Paradise Cruises now have more than 750 employees including 21 Filipinos mostly in management and operation. Its vessels accommodate as many as 90,000 passengers a year, mostly from Europe and Asia.

Filipinos also work in other tourism establishments in Hanoi, including the modern Noi Bai International Airport which reflects the Vietnam government’s resolve to strengthen the tourism industry.

In 2015, Paradise Cruises opened an internship program for foreign students. “If they work hard enough, we offer them full-time jobs,” says Cayanan. “We plan to hire more Filipinos, with starting net monthly salary of $800, which could rise to $1,000 after two months. After a year, they can get free airplane tickets.

They can also bring their family to stay at our hotel for free.”

“Vietnam is just three hours by plane from the Philippines. This is a beautiful, affordable and safe country.

Banks here have no armed security guards. Prices of goods are also cheap,” says Cayanan.

Cayanan says he even encourages his son who is studying Hotel and Restaurant Management in the Philippines to join him and work for Paradise Vietnam soon.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

CEO TRANSFORMS GREENWICH INTO ‘INSTAGRAMMABLE’ PIZZERIA

By Othel V. Campos

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REENWICH, the homegrown pizza brand owned by Jollibee Foods Corp., is donning a new look and a new name.

From Greenwich Pizza & Pasta, the brand is now known as Greenwich Pizzeria, says Albert Cuadrante, the president of Greenwich Business of Jollibee.

The local pizza brand, established in 1971 by entrepreneur Cresida Tueres and taken over by Jollibee in 1994, is leveling up to compete with foreign pizza parlors.

Cuadrante says the new name and the new look are in response to the ongoing rave in the food scene led by millennials and Generation X who have grown together with the brand.

“Pizzeria is what we call it. This particular store format is one of the major changes we’ve been making for the evolution of the brand. First major change was the improvement of our pizzas. For those who are not millennials, the older group set, they’re so surprised when they eat at Greenwich.

Eating at Greenwich is a different experience already. We improved the crust, the toppings. The store has to match the product. This is what we envision for the Pizzeria, a fitting store for you to experience the product,” says Cuadrante.

Greenwich abandoned the cramp, restricted space layout where diners usually ate and ran despite the urge for longer chat and bonding time with friends.

In their place are cozy stuffed seats and movable chairs with the familiar accent of wood on furniture, brick on the walls with stylish graffiti, graphic photos and wall scribbles and colorful décors that are youthful and fresh.

“If you look around, there are many areas that are Instagramable. We recognize that social media is a great way of promoting our store, so we designed it that way—picture-perfect and social media savvy.

We also have deliberate areas where clusters of varying numbers can easily fit in, which is good for our ‘barkadahan’ [peer] concept,” Cuadrante says.

From the traditional QSR (quick-service restaurant), Greenwich has evolved into a fast casual diner.

The brand, Cuadrante says, is also big on the ‘barkadahan’ concept where peer groups of three or more can actually enjoy the experience at Greenwich Pizzeria.

“We’re having a lot more group meal combinations that befits the ‘barkadahan’ experience that we want for the store,” he says.

What propelled Greenwich to upgrade, he says, is the need to stay relevant.

When the brand started in 1971, the old patrons

Greenwich Pizzeria president Albert Cuadrante

would have been in their senior years and those who have grown with the brand are now mostly mid-aged.

Pizza and pizzeria fares are food choices favored by young people. The median age of Greenwich regulars is about 25 to 30 years, but teens as young as 17 to young people of up to 35 years comprise the bigger chunk of Greenwich demographics. Patronage of the brand is not limited to millennials or the younger set, as oldtimers also stay loyal to Greenwich Pizzeria.

Patrons are assured of hygienic preparation of the food they enjoy at the Pizzeria window. They can witness how the crew carefully prepare the food while using the freshest ingredients from pizza to pasta to chicken fares.

By 2021, Greenwich aims to complete the transformation of all its stores to the stylish pizzerias nationwide.

The new format transformed Greenwich into a hip and trendy brand that translates into double-digit growth annually. In the last few years, Greenwich’s compounded annual growth rate is between 15 percent and 20 percent. For 2017, Cuadrante is looking at a sales growth of 20 percent to hit P9.6 billion this year.

Greenwich maintains its market leadership with over 300 stores nationwide, adding 30 new stores yearly.

The company president says the brand will sustain its expansion program. With 30-percent market share of the pizza-serving restaurants, the brand is upgrading 50 percent of existing stores

into the new Pizzeria format.

“In terms of store network, we’re the highest.

We cover most of Metro Manila and we have stores in the provinces. Our expansion continues to be aggressive. More and more, we are realizing that on top of the cities, many are really wanting the pizza experience in the provinces,” says Cuadrante.

“While we have future plans of bringing the brand to foreign shores, we still feel the need to saturate the potential here. Since we are the only major local pizza brand, we have high hopes for our business,” he says.

Cuadrante says in case the brand goes international, the initial destinations will be the United Arab Emirate, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and other countries in the Middle East.

G re e nw i c h Pi z ze r i a i s a l s o o p e n fo r franchising. About 40 percent of the stores are owned by franchisers, while 60 percent are company stores.

For a franchise fee of P1 million and capital infusion of P12 to P13 million, on the average, the return-on-investment is usually three to five years.

Greenwich is also increasing its presence in the online delivery format. “We’re happy since the growth of our online format parallels that of that of the brick-and-mortar stores. But for the online, we are more aggressive. We want sales to grow not only by 20 percent but by 30 percent. We figure there is no limit to delivery. Our enemy would only be traffic and erratic weather, especially if it rains,” says Cuadrante.

AMERICANS STILL LOVE PH COCONUT PRODUCTS AMERICANS still love the tropicallygrown coconut and its products from the Philippines, despite the recent misinformation about the health benefits of coconut oil.

A trade exposition attended by the United Coconut Associations of the Philippines in Maryland late in September instantly generated $6 million in sales.

UCAP delegates assured farmers and makers of virgin coconut oil and other processed coconut that the US market continued to rave over coconut and its health benefits.

“America still loves our coconuts,” said Ucap chairman Dean Lao Jr. during the Maryland East Expo Roadshow.

The trade mission, supported by the Department of Trade and Industry, P h i l i p p i n e C o c o n u t Au t h o r i t y, Philippine Embassy and attaches in the US, also went throughout Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver to affirm scientifically-evident health benefits of coconut.

While there has been misinformation on coconut oil apparently arising from competitor products (soybean oil), Ucap said the sentiment of the US consumer market is to defend coconut products.

Scientific studies have linked medium chain fatty acid content in coconut oil to less incidence of cardiovascular disease in studied populations. MCFA is also widely recognized now as the major ingredient in energy-boosting ketogenic diet.

Ucap executive director Yvonne T. Agustin said January to June 2017 exports reached $1.132 billion, or nearly double the $636 million export a year ago.

The private-public sector trade group will carry out more programs to attest to authorities’ scientific proof of coconut oil’s nutritional benefits.

Dr. Fabian Dayrit, Asia Pacific

Delegates from the United Coconut Associations of the Philippines join the US exposition.

Coconut Community scientific advisory committee on health chairman, said APCC communicated with the Food and Agriculture Organization its position against a presidential advisory issued by the American Heart Association that branded coconut oil as a saturated fat and classified it as the same as any animal fat – which it is not.

“FAO agreed to a technical meeting in a scientific conference among experts in 2018,” said Dayrit.

FAO is also a United Nations o r g a n i z a t i o n . T h e A P C C ’s communication with FAO will be important as APCC also deals with the World Health Organization, also a UN agency.

As the Philippines thrives in exporting virgin coconut oil and semi-processed coconut products in bulk, Lao said it is pertinent for Philippines to intensively invest in product research. Thailand has led Southeast Asian countries in coconut product innovation.

“Thais invest heavily in consumer products,” he said.

In the future, the Philippines’ coconut

trade mission should consist of blue chip companies –large companies in the likes of Franklin Baker, Celebes Coconut Corp., Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, that shall have invested in knowing what the consumer market wants and in developing such products.

“We are good in shipping in bulk.

[But] consumer products bring higher value,” he said.

Pack aging, marketing and distribution strategies are important such that some coconut products get more sales through branding, private labelling, and online (internet marketing) distribution.

Some products displayed in the market include privately labelled “Simple Truth” of Kroger, Pure Brazilian Coconut Water, Nutiva high value skin food and coconut buttery oil, and a tortilla chips from coconut flour.

Other coconut product innovations are on personal care, petroleumfree consumer products, low-sugar beverage, probiotic-low carbohydrate products, refrigerated coconut in its entire nut with trimmed husk,

marshmallow with coconut, coconut granola, virgin coconut oil in its buttery form for cooking or baking, cooking spray coconut oil and coconut milk creamer.

“Trends point to everything coconut.

There’s strong preference for natural and organic, free from GMO, gluten, sugar, palm, and with focus on CSR [corporate social responsibility], fair trade, and sustainability,” he said.

Some smaller companies just come up with brands for their coconut products and market them online such as through Amazon.

“You can put your product online for as long as you have FDA [Food and Drug Administration certification]. Some people are not stopped by not having the capex [capital] but just have a brand and market the brand,” Lao said.

The public-private trade group also met with Filipino scientists from Philippine American Academy of Science & Engineering that may explore scientific studies on coconut in the future.

UCAP also oriented the Coconut Coalition, a group of major distributors of coconut products in the US, on its position on false accusation of the American Heart Association against all saturated fats as being linked to cardiovascular diseases as top cause of death in the US. “The coalition wants us to be alert on our senses, and we are. We feel the sentiment that consumers go to the defense of coconut. But it’s not something we should take for granted,” he said.

UCAP are coconut products are immediately recovering from a temporary 25-percent drop in coconut products sales as a result of the misinformation.

The group also met with naturopathic doctor Bruce Fife who has authored books on health benefits of coconut.

World

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

IMF FRETS OVER VENEZUELA; ‘NO END TO CRISIS’ WASHINGTON—The International Monetary Fund expressed grave concerns Friday over Venezuela’s unending political crisis, seeing no end to the economic downturn and suffering of the population.

Venezuela “remains in a full-blown economic, humanitarian, and political crisis with no end in sight,” the Fund said in a report on Latin American economies.

The country’s economy will have contracted by 35 percent by the end of this year from 2014, and the Fund says the country is headed toward hyperinflation, when prices soar uncontrollably every day for a long period.

But it said the shortages and political strife is taking a huge toll on the Venezuelan people.

“The main risk to the region relates to the humanitarian crisis and ensuing migration of Venezuelans to neighboring countries,” it said.

“The number of Venezuelans arriving in Brazilian and Colombian border towns has been rising sharply as the crisis in Venezuela intensifies.”

“The refugees coming from Venezuela is an unfortunate side effect of the crisis, which is extremely severe,” said Robert Rennhack, deputy director of the IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department. AFP

ISOLATION TO END FOR ST. HELENA AS AIR LINK OPENS JOHANNESBURG, South Africa—Life for the people of St. Helena will change forever Saturday when the first regular commercial flight from the outside world touches down on the remote island’s windswept new runway.

The British island of just over 4,000 people, where the locals are called “Saints”, is known best as the rocky outcrop where French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte saw out his final days.

Now, after five years of construction, controversy and embarrassing delays due to high winds, an airport built at a cost of £285 million (318 million euros) will welcome its first routine flight from Johannesburg.

The volcanic tropical island itself measures just 122 square kilometres (47 square miles) and is located almost exactly halfway between Africa and South America.

Its isolated location meant it was chosen as a place of exile for those who suffered defeat at the hands of the British, with Napoleon held there from 1815 until his death in 1821.

Several thousand Boer prisoners of war were also detained there at the start of the 20th century.

Until Saturday, St. Helena was one of the world’s most inaccessible locations. It has been only reachable by sea, a five-day voyage from Cape Town aboard a Royal Mail vessel that chugs along at a speed of just 15 knots (28 kilometres an hour). AFP

LOVESICK PENGUIN ‘GRAPE’DIES AT 21; JAPAN ZOO MOURNS TOKYO—An elderly penguin who shot to fame in Japan after falling in love with a cardboard cut-out of a cartoon character has died, at the ripe old age of 21.

Officials at Tobu zoo in Saitama, north of Tokyo, said “Grape” passed away after a brief illness with the object of his desire right by his side. He would have been around 80 in human years.

Earlier this year, the Humboldt penguin became smitten with a cut-out of Hululu -- a character from the Japanese anime “Kemono Friends” -- after being dumped by his former mate, a female called Midori.

A love-sick Grape found solace in Hululu and would stare at her for hours on end.

The plight of the romantic penguin went viral, earning Grape millions of fans worldwide.

A steady stream of mourners has visited Tobu zoo’s penguin enclosure, many with flowers, since the tragic news broke on Friday, while officials erected a makeshift shrine to their fallen celebrity on Saturday.

“Little Grape had a wife called Midori but she left him and found herself a new husband,” Tobu zoo’s penguin caretaker Eri Nemoto told local media.

“We put the cardboard panel next to him to comfort him to the very end.”

Tributes flooded in on social media too under the trending hashtag “Grape-kun” (little grape), with several users posting elaborate hand-drawn pictures of Grape gazing longingly at Hululu. AFP

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017

B3

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US FIRST, BUT MORE AND MORE ALONE

ASHINGTON—Donald Trump has gambled with United States diplomatic credibility by attacking an Iran nuclear deal that his European allies cherish as a benchmark for international cooperation.

And in doing so the US president has underlined the risk that his “America First” foreign policy will translate to one of “America Alone” as he confronts future crises.

Between nationalist speeches, protectionist gestures and highoctane Twitter outbursts, observers have struggled to identify a coherent strategy behind Trump’s decisions.

But one thread does stand out as he pulls out of trade deals, provokes allies and tears up international accords -- he seems determined that no international ties will bind him.

The US emerged as the indispensable superpower in the wake

of World War II in part through its leadership in a global rules-based system of treaties and alliances.

But, as Trump made clear last month in a speech to the UN General Assembly, his vision is of a world where America is just the most powerful in a network of sovereign nations.

“Trump foreign policy has found its theme: ‘The Withdrawal Doctrine’,” quipped Richard Haass, influential president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Trump has not yet withdrawn from the Iran deal, although he made it clear that he is ready to do so if Congress and skeptical US al-

lies do not agree to new sanctions.

He did quit the UN cultural organization, this week. He has collapsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and appears to be poised to destroy the bigger NAFTA treaty.

Time and again his bluster has put in question America’s commitment to its NATO allies, and time and again he has ordered reviews into the utility of remaining in UN agencies.

He has even declared that America will drop out of the biggest -- and arguably most important -- accord in world history, the 196-member Paris climate deal.

As might be expected, former members of president Barack Obama’s administration are furious and bewildered at what they see as an abdication of US leadership.

“Once again, Trump is throwing into question the ability of the US to keep its commitment to international agreements,” former top aide Ben Rhodes said.

“Other nations will not want to enter into agreements with the United States,” he warned.

Former secretary of state John Kerry, who negotiated the Iran deal, called Trump’s decision a “reckless abandonment of facts in favor of ego and ideology.”

Trump, he said, “weakens our hand, alienates us from our allies, empowers Iranian hardliners, makes it harder to resolve North Korea and risks moving us closer to military conflict.”

But Democrats are not the only ones criticizing the Republican billionaire’s stance.

Nicholas Burns, a professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and, like Haass, a veteran of George W. Bush’s administration is scathing.

“We’re withdrawing as global leader under Trump,” he said, dubbing the decision to dump the TPP and Paris and undermine the Iran deal “historic mistakes.” AFP

FIT FOR A KING. The cremation site for Thailand’s late king Bhumibol Adulayadej’s is reflected on a lotus pool on Thursday. The king’s cremation is scheduled to take place later this month. The kingdom has been preparing for the event since Bhumibol died at the age of 88 on October 13, 2016, triggering an outpouring of grief in a nation where the charismatic leader commanded a cult-like following. AFP

FILM ACADEMY CONSIDERS EXPELLING WEINSTEIN LOS ANGELES—The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was due to hold an emergency session Saturday to discuss kicking out Harvey Weinstein amid mounting sexual harassment, assault and rape accusations.

An avalanche of claims have surfaced since the publication last week of an explosive New York Times report alleging a history of abusive behavior dating back decades.

On Thursday, American actress Rose McGowan became the fourth woman to accuse the 65-year-old of raping her.

The Academy issued a statement describing the nature of the allegations as “repugnant, abhorrent, and antithetical” to its standards ahead of the meeting of its 54-member board of governors.

The Academy is not expected to hold a news conference after the meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. (1700 GMT), but said it would release a statement on the proceedings.

The Producers Guild of America will also meet Saturday to “consider disciplinary proceedings and the status of his membership,” a source close to the union told AFP. Since the outbreak of the scandal, several actresses including Mira Sorvino, Rosanna Arquette, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Lea Seydoux have said they were sexually harassed by the producer.

Weinstein was seen in public for the first time in days when paparazzi descended upon him as he left his daughter’s home in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“Guys, I’m not doing OK but I’m trying,” he said in a video obtained

by ABC. “I got to get help. You know what, we all make mistakes.”

As he climbed into an oversized sports utility vehicle, he said he hoped people would give him “a second chance.”

Celebrity gossip portal TMZ reported that Weinstein later flew to rehab in Arizona, possibly at The Meadows, a facility near Phoenix where golfer Tiger Woods and supermodel Kate Moss have been treated.

Weinstein appears to have garnered little sympathy from the public, however, according to a survey conducted by celebrity branding expert and bestselling author Jeetendr Sehdev.

Some 82 percent of 2,000 people questioned as part of an ongoing study into American attitudes to celebrity and entertainment said he should be kicked out of the Academy.

Six in 10 said they would be less likely to watch the annual Oscars ceremony if Weinstein is allowed to remain and 40 percent said he should be stripped of the Oscar he won for producing “Shakespeare in Love” (1998). AFP

PUTIN PUPPY. Russian President Vladimir Putin kisses a Turkmen shepherd dog, locally known as Alabai, he received from Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during a meeting in Sochi on Wednesday. AFP

B4

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2017 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Gadgets & Games

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OTOROLA continues to bring unique and intuitive user experiences that Filipinos love and the two new additions to its moto g family: moto g5s and moto g5s plus, come with the latest innovations in camera technology, battery and design.

These special edition devices offer consumers affordable options that fit their lifestyle with the premium features that matter most to Filipinos. moto g5s plus: Select Your Focus.

Unleash Your Creativity. For those who want the best moto g has to offer, the special edition moto g5s plus is perfect, with even more top features such as dual cameras that let users do more. Dual 13MP rear cameras, combined with special photo enhancement software, make it easy to do more with photos. Selective focus mode makes it easy to take professional-looking OOTDs on moto g5s plus, adding a beautiful blurred background effect. moto g5s plus users can have fun trying selective black and white coloring or replace background mode to give their photos a whole new look. If users are tired of the same old selfies, the 8MP wide-angle front camera has an LED flash and a new panoramic mode to capture even more. moto g5s plus comes with the size and precision-crafted look expected of a premium device.. It features an impressive all-metal unibody design and a 5.5-inch full-HD display perfect for watching movies on the go. moto g5s plus also boasts a blazing-fast Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 2.0GHz octa-core processor, powerful graphics capabilities and support for 4G

WUNDER CARPOOL BARES BIG INNOVATIONS Models introduce the new special editions to the moto g family: moto g5s and moto g5s plus, featuring the latest innovations in camera technology, full HD displays, and all-day batteries.

LTE so users can run favorite apps without slowing down.

Filipinos can use moto g5s plus from morning till night with its 3000mAh all-day battery that packs more than enough power to last throughout the day. Moto g5s plus users can also fuel up their battery quickly with the TurboPower charger, which provides up to 6 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes.

The fingerprint reader on moto g5s plus does it all, from unlocking the phone to making mobile payments. moto g5s plus is easier to use with Night Display and Quick Reply, two new Moto Experiences that are all part of Moto Actions’ unique collection of meaningful software experiences. moto g5s: More Metal. More Battery.

Made for More. moto g5s is a smart, fast

phone that’s built on the concept of more. Starting from the outside, it offers an all-metal unibody design crafted from a single piece of high-grade aluminum, making it not only beautiful but also stronger than ever. With moto g5s, techsavvy Filipinos can have the freedom to stay unplugged, thanks to a 3000mAh all-day battery that holds enough power to last throughout the day. No need to slow down thanks to TurboPower™ charging, which provides up to 5 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes.

The special edition moto g5s also features a high-resolution 16MP camera with phase detection autofocus (PDAF). This rapid focus technology means users don’t have to worry about missing the perfect picture. They can also easily take group selfies, thanks to

a 5MP wide-angle front camera with an LED flash, which makes captured moments look good day or night.

Filipino users don’t have to spend a ton to get a world-class display. moto g5s brings stunning 1080p entertainment to life on a vibrant 5.2-inch fullHD display.

Backed by a 1.4GHz octa-core processor and 4G speed, moto g5s lets users run their favorite apps smoothly, watch videos with stutter-free playback and browse the web at high speed. Users can do more with the fingerprint feature too, whether it’s unlocking the phone, navigating the screen effortlessly with a swipe or tap using one button nav or making mobile payments. moto g5s also features the latest Moto Experiences such as Night Display and Quick Reply.

3 BEST UNIQUE AGRI IDEAS RULE INNOVATION OLYMPICS

By Jospher de Leon FROM an online platform that hopes to transform farmers into “agri-preneurs,” to a solar-powered multi-crop dryer for food processing, all the way to sensors and data that inform the farmer about the details of his vegetable farm through SMS or text messaging.

These were the top three innovative ideas that emerged as the big winners in the East-West Seed Innovation Olympics, dubbed as the “hackathon” of agriculture that challenges the next generation of leaders to develop technologies that increase productivity of farmers.

Asian Institute of Management’s Team Agriviz wants to create an e-commerce platform that aims to incorporate data analytics and disseminate information to improve the productivity of Filipino vegetable farmers, turning mindset into being market-driven rather than production-driven.

On the other hand, UP Los Banos’ Team i-Agri Ventures, defended their idea of a “multi-crop dryer” that hopes to significantly increase farmers’ revenue by boosting the market value of thee crop and reducing post-harvest losses.

Team Oppa, also of UP Los Banos, came out with an idea that could increase the yield of farmers by as high as 87.5% using text messaging. Their contraption makes use of the weather, predicting rain pattern and

effectively informs the farmers farm information in 30 seconds which normally takes 2-3 hours.

The three teams bested out seven other student groups who vied for the top 3 positions and the honor of implementing their ideas with an initial seed money of P150,000. For 120 days, they will implement their project in their selected farming community.

In January 2018, the team with the project that exemplified entrepreneurial innovation and made the most significant impact in their adopted farming community will be declared as the EWS Innovation Olympics Grand Champion and receive a P250,000 cash prize.

Growing Opportunities for Farmers and the Youth East-West Seed, established in 1982 as the first integrated vegetable company here in the Philippines, celebrates its anniversary this year with the theme, “Growing Opportunities.” “When my father, Dutch seedsman Simon Groot put up East-West Seed with Filipino seed trader, Benito Domingo, in 1982, in a humble 5-hectare lot in Lipa City, they had a common vision--to help smallholder farmers increase their income by providing high-quality seeds and training them on more productive and sustainable vegetable farming techniques,”said Maaike Groot, Public Affairs Manager of East-West Seed.

To date, East-West Seed has trained and enabled 46,782 smallholder farmers on proper vegetable farming techniques.

Members of UP Los Banos’ Team i-Agri Ventures receive their prize from East-West and Innovation Olympics officials.

“Farmers represent the 2nd poorest sector in our country and it is so sad that because of this, our young people shy away from pursuing a career in agriculture. What people do not know is that vegetable farming is a lucrative profession and could be a key for our people to get out of poverty. But we need to address several challenges which we, at East-West Seed, continue to help,” adds Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc, Public Affairs Lead of East-West Seed.

THE world’s leading urban carpooling platform Wunder Carpool has recently rolled out a big update on its app, optimizing the carpooling flow and made creating and finding rides a lot easier.

These changes on the app interface are based on suggestions and feedback it got from its growing community members since it launched in Metro Manila and Cebu last year.

Wunder also launched operations this year in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Wunder’s mobile app connects people commuting in same direction for work and/or home. Car owners share the empty seats in their cars and save money on fuel cost. Passengers get the comfort and convenience of commuting through a private car at a price that is way lower than taxi and often cheaper than public transportation. At the same time, it allows you to choose people you would like to carpool with and it becomes an opportunity to make new friends, network with people in your industry while you commute to work.

Here are the top 7 improvements that every carpooler has been waiting for: For first time carpoolers, an in-app preview is now available to check out the app’s main features. Newbies can get a virtual walk-through on how the app works before even logging in.

To make carpooling more secure, you are now required to key in their phone number as part of the 2-step user verification process.

Carpoolers can now easily create rides, pick a preferred route and switch role on each ride.

Car-owners are now free to set the fare for each ride shared and can even set it to zero, if they want Organizing a carpool is now easier with its improved browsing interface & better matching on the map.

The app now has a “My Rides” screen to give a clear overview of all upcoming rides and highlights required actions to manage each organized carpools.

For recurring carpools, a new feature allows to easily create routines and save them the trouble of setting ride requests/ride offers every day.

Founded in 2014 in Germany, Wunder is launching carpooling communities in the world’s most gridlocked cities. It now has more than 700,000 users from India and the Philippines, sharing over 2 million rides.

MAPUA U LAUNCHES 1ST FULLY ONLINE PROGRAM MAPUA University will launch its online education platform, Mapúa Digital Academics and offer its first fully online program, the Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering in October this year.

School of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management Dean Rex Aurelius C. Robielos said that the online program is part of the internationalization and digitalization initiatives of the University. MEP-IE is the first fully online graduate program in engineering in the country.

“The online program caters to current professionals who do not have the time to attend regular class sessions,” Dean Robielos said. “Online programs give students, especially professionals, the convenience and flexibility since they can opt to study at their free time.”

MDA seeks to overcome geographic and time-zone limitations, expanding the university’s reach globally. Because of the chosen platform, MEP-IE is open to any qualified and interested student anywhere in the world.

The MEP-IE is designed for graduates

of engineering, technology, or business. It aims to train individuals to become managerial and technical leaders. Aside from recorded lectures and examinations, students will be required to undergo practicum in industry or relevant training

MEP-IE is open to any qualified and interested student anywhere in the world.

in an equivalent agency to be acquainted with current practices in the field or in research.

The program will follow Mapúa’s quarter system enabling the student to complete the MEP-IE program in

less than two years (seven quarters).

Students should earn 36 course units to complete program and earn the degree.

According to Mapúa University president and chief executive officer Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, the program was chosen because it would not require physical laboratories and it has a wide range of applications.

“Our recent experiences in offering specific courses not only in blended instruction but also in the massive, simultaneous real-time delivery of instruction have given us the confidence to offer an entire program study in a fully online mode,” said Dr. Vea. By next year, more fully online programs for all major master’s degree offerings in engineering and information technology are set to be offered.

To know more about and to apply for Mapúa University’s fully online Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering program, visit https://www.mapua.edu.ph/ DigitalAcademics/.

DIGITAL BIZ. Altus Digital Capital, a private equity firm that invests in financial and human capital, reveals its vision for a digital future in business in the Philippines at a media roundtable on Thursday. Led by cofounder and managing director Randy McGraw (left) and senior PR manager Arvi Lopez (right), ADC is focused on helping digital businesses in the country’s emerging digital market through a continuously growing digitalization using the company’s expertise and knowledgeable staff. Diana B. Noche